Operation Azm-e-Istehkam | |||||||
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Part of the Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Insurgency in Balochistan, Counter-Terrorism in Pakistan and the War on Terror | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
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Commanders and leaders | |||||||
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Units involved | |||||||
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700,000 security personnel including intelligence and law-enforcement personnel[ citation needed] | Unknown | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
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Operation Azm-e-Istehkam ( Urdu: آپریشن عزم استحکام) is a counter-insurgency operation launched by the government of Pakistan in June 2024. [1] The operation was approved by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. [2] The operation will not only include military action, but socio-economic uplift to deter extremism. [3]
Azm-e-Istehkam translates into "Commitment for Stability" or "Resolve for Stability". Azm (عزم) means "commitment" or "resolve", while Istehkam (استحکام) means "stability" in Urdu. The phrase Azm-e-Istehkam has been chosen[ by whom?] to emphasize onto the non-kinetic[ further explanation needed] parameters of the operation aimed at socio-economic upliftment to counter extremism. [4]
This section needs additional citations for
verification. (July 2024) |
Pakistan has been facing a looming Islamist insurgency in North-Western parts of the country since 2001 that came to haunt Pakistani state in an aftermath of 9/11 attacks. The al-Qaeda terrorists fled Afghanistan seek refuge in the bordering Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. The insurgency blew up in 2004 when tensions rooted in the Pakistan Army's search for al-Qaeda fighters in Pakistan's mountainous Waziristan area escalated into armed resistance. Pakistan's actions were presented as its contribution to the U.S. War on terror.
The situation in erstwhile FATA further complicated with the emergence of Tehreek-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Local Pakistani jihadi fighters that had previously fought Soviets, with support from Central Asian militant groups along with Arab fighters of al-Qaeda, in 2007 formed TTP.
The TTP emerged as one of the most lethal groups with the goal to overthrow Government of Pakistan in Islamabad and replace it with a Taliban-style government.
Responding to the threat posed by the Islamists, Pakistan Army under command of General Kayani's tenure started to turn the tide in its war against terrorism. In order to contain the militants General Kayani launched series of military campaigns to recapture areas fallen in the hands of militants from 2007 to 2013 beginning with Operation Rah-e-Haq. The campaign that launched by Kayani ended with success of Operation Zarb-e-Azb in late 2016. Pakistan Army under the Kayani Doctrine was able to capture six tribal agencies and four settled districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa including Swat and South Waziristan, which were two strongholds of TTP.
The last operation Zarb-e-Azb was conducted by the Kayani's successor General Raheel Sharif to purge last remaining agency of North Waziristan from the clutches of TTP. Thus, Pakistan Armed Forces successfully recaptured seven tribal agencies of FATA and four districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa by conducting a bloody armed campaign from 2007 to 2016.
# | Campaign | Date | location | Results |
---|---|---|---|---|
Operation al-Mizan | 2002-2006 | North Waziristan | Stalemate between Islamic militants and
Government of Pakistan
| |
Operation Rah-e-Haq | 25 October 2007– 8 December 2007 | Swat Valley and Shangla | Pakistani victory
| |
Operation Zalzala | January 2008-May 2008 | Spinkai, South Waziristan | Pakistani victory
| |
Operation Sirat-e-Mustaqeem | 28 June 2008 – 9 July 2008 | Bara | Pakistani victory | |
Operation Sherdil | 7 August 2008 – 28 February 2009 | Bajaur Agency | Pakistani victory
| |
Operation Black Thunderstorm | 26 April 2009 – 14 June 2009 | Pakistani victory
| ||
Operation Rah-e-Rast | 16 May 2009 – 15 July 2009 | Swat | Decisive Pakistani victory
| |
Operation Rah-e-Nijat | 19 June 2009 – 12 December 2009 | South Waziristan Agency | Pakistani victory
| |
2009 Khyber Pass Offensive | 1 September 2009 – 30 September 2009 | Khyber Agency | Pakistani victory
| |
Operation Khwakh Ba De Sham | September 2009-21 January 2011 | Pakistani victory
| ||
Operation Brekhna | 3 November 2009 – 20 December 2012 | Mohmand Agency | Pakistani victory
| |
Operation Koh-e-Sufaid | 4 July 2011 – 18 August 2011 | Kurram Agency | Pakistani victory
| |
Operation Rah-e-Shahadat | 5 April 2013 – 30 June 2013 | Tirah Valley | Pakistani victory
| |
Operation Zarb-e-Azb | 12 June 2014 – 22 February 2017 | North-Waziristan Agency | Pakistani victory
| |
Operation Khyber | 7 October 2014 – 21 August 2017 | Khyber Agency | Pakistani victory
| |
Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad | 22 February 2017- November 2022 | Across Pakistan | Pakistani tactical victory
Strategic failure
| |
Operation Azm-e-Istehkam | 22 June 2024- Till date | Across Pakistan and Afghanistan | Ongoing |
With help of military campaigns Pakistan Army was able to push back TTP into Afghanistan from where it continues to launch terrorist attacks on Pakistan. By 2014, the casualty rates from terrorism in the country as a whole dropped by 40% as compared to 2011–2013, with even greater drops noted in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa despite a large massacre of schoolchildren by TTP terrorists in the province in December 2014. The reduction in hostilities eventually changed the conflict from a war to a relatively low-level conflict. However, massacre of schoolchildren in Peshawar and continues sense of insecurity forced Pakistani political leadership to draft National Action Plan.
On 24 December 2014, the Parliament of Pakistan approved a 20-point National Action Plan to counter terrorism and extremism, that had been chalked out by the National Counter Terrorism Authority. The decision was taken following a terrorist attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar. [5] The plan was envisaged to undertake non-kinetic and kinetic measures to fight terrorism and extremism.
In line with National Action Plan, Pakistan launched Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad under its commander COAS Qamar Javed Bajwa. This operation was launched in order clean-off militants that escaped across country due to army's earlier campaigns in FATA. The operation was aimed at consolidating efforts of previous military campaigns.
Radd-ul-Fasaad vowed to tackle cross border militancy, purge sleeper cells in Urban Pakistan, flush of remnants militants escaped across country, and pursuit National Action Plan.The operation entailed the conduct of Broad Spectrum Security (Counter Terrorism) operations by Rangers in Punjab and Sindh, and by the Frontier Corps in Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and focus on more effective border security management. Countrywide disarmament and explosive control were also given as additional objectives of the operation. The National Action Plan was pursued as the hallmark of this operation. [6] [7]
Radd-ul-Fasaad resulted in major successes in counter-terrorism.
As a result of Radd-ul-Fasaad, TTP suffered huge losses and divided into various splinter groups that weakened its operational capabilities. According to Delhi-based South Asian Terrorism Portal (SATP) 2019 was post peaceful year for Pakistan since the time of start of insurgency in 2004. According to SATP, The suicide attacks in Pakistan in 2019 was decreased to 8 from record high of 85 in 2009. By 2021, More than 375,000 operations have been carried out against terrorists, including over 150,000 in Sindh, 3,4000 in Punjab, more than 80,000 in Balochistan and over 92,000 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. [8]
Operation was a tactical victory for Pakistan as country saw consolidation of gains of Operation Zarb-e-Azb by further denting the terrorist capability to carry out activities against Pakistan which was visible in drastic drop in suicide and IED attacks. Yet it deemed as a strategic failure due to failure of operation to achieve objectives of National Action Plan. The country failed to foster durable peace, specially after Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021. The political change in Afghanistan triggered new wave of terrorism in Pakistan. Since 2022 Pakistan has seen a visible uptick in terrorism-related incidents.
After 2019, country saw slow implementation on the National Action Plan specially on its primary aim of combating extremism. Resultantly since fall of Kabul in August 2021, Pakistan is confronted with renewed threat of terrorism as TTP has been injected with fresh dose of strength due to the victory of Taliban in Afghanistan. The fresh recruits, easy access to US made weapons, and a sanctuary under the shadow of Afghan Taliban have once again bolstered the TTP to again target Pakistan. In 2023, Pakistan saw an increase in terror incidents, especially in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after the banned militant group Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan terminated its ceasefire with the government in November 2022. [9] [10] [5]
In 2022 After failure of negotiations, the TTP and the government announced a ceasefire in June 2022. However, in November 2022, the TTP renounced the ceasefire and called for nationwide attacks against Pakistan.
Surge in terrorism led Pakistan to strike on TTP safe havens present on Afghan soil. On 16 April 2022, the Pakistani military conducted predawn airstrikes on multiple targets in Afghanistan's Spera District of Khost and Shultan District of Kunar provinces. Afghan officials said the attacks killed at least 47 civilians and injured 23 others. Initial reports described the attacks as either rocket strikes or aerial strikes carried out by a number of aircraft of the Pakistan Air Force, and Afghan officials claimed the operation was carried out by Pakistani military helicopters and jets. Pakistani officials initially denied Pakistan carried out the airstrikes, but Pakistani security officials later claimed the airstrikes involved drone strikes from inside Pakistani airspace, and that no aircraft were deployed. Some reports said the Pakistani airstrikes also targeted parts of Paktika Province. According to the Pakistani media and some Afghan media outlets, the attacks targeted militants belonging to Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
2022 Pakistani airstrikes marked the first instance of foreign country launching attack on Afghanistan after establishment of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and withdrawal of US from Afghanistan.
On 18 March 2024, in response to the attack from Afghanistan, Pakistan Air Force carried out two intelligence based airstrikes on Afghanistan's eastern border provinces of Khost and Paktika. The Afghan government claim that Pakistan killed five women and three children. Pakistan denies this, claiming that it killed terrorists instead while targeting the Hafiz Gul Bahadur militant group, a splinter organization of the Pakistani Taliban, and that it had successfully killed Sehra alias Janan, a high-value target commander. Another commander, Abdullah Mehsud, was claimed to have been killed, but later released a video refuting the claim. It was also reported that Mehsud's house was targeted in which his wife and a minor son was killed. Pakistan went on to blame the Pakistani Taliban and its splinter militias for the deaths of hundreds of Pakistani civilians, and claimed that they used Afghanistan as a base and that they had support from within the Taliban.
2024 Pakistani airstrikes marks the third instance of foreign country launching attack on Afghanistan after establishment of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and withdrawal of US from Afghanistan followed by 2022 Pakistani Airstrikes and 2022 US Drone attack in Kabul
Given the deteriorating law and order situation in North-West Pakistan, on 7 April 2023, Pakistan's National Security Committee under leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif decided to launch a new military operation to root out militants posing threats to its western regions. The meeting was also attended by the Pakistan's new military leadership COAS Asim Munir and CJCSC Sahir Shamshad Mirza.
On 22 June 2024, Pakistan's Apex Committee on National Action Plan approved a new operation codenamed as Azb-e-Istehkam (Resolve for Stability) that is meant to address slow implementation of National Action Plan specially by addressing its vow of healing extremism across Pakistan.
On 22 June 2024, the operation was approved during a meeting of the Apex Committee on National Action Plan in Islamabad. [11] The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and attended by key federal cabinet members, chief ministers from all provinces including Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, provincial chief secretaries, services chiefs, and others. [2]
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif clarified on 25 June 2024 that "Operation would not be large scale operation.Sharif said Operation Azm-e-Istehkam is being “misunderstood” and compared to previous military operations such as Operation Zarb-e-Azb and Operation Rah-e-Nijat. He said militants in these operations were killed for creating “no-go areas” in the country and for challenging the writ of the state, adding that they caused massive displacement of the population. There are currently no such no-go areas in the country as the ability of terrorist organizations to carry out large-scale organized operations inside Pakistan has been decisively defeated by past armed operations. Therefore, no large-scale military operation which would require population displacement is being contemplated.Its objective is to instill a new spirit and drive in the ongoing implementation of the revised National Action Plan, which was launched after a national consensus in the political arena. Operation Azm-e-Istekam is a multi-domain, multi-agency and national vision to bring about sustainable peace and stability in the country. [12] [13]
Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on 28 June 2024 added that Pakistan may carry out cross border strikes inside Afghanistan on terrorist bases enjoying safe havens on Afghan soil. [14] [15]
The Operation is primarily aimed at speeding-up implementation of the Pakistan's National Action Plan (NAP) which was conceived in an aftermath of politico-military consensus in 2014 to combat extremism and terrorism within Pakistan. According to PMO statement, following objectives has been laid down in line with NAP. [16]
The main objective of the operation is to end extremism and terrorism decisively and comprehensively. [2] [17] The operation aims to coordinate and coordinate efforts on multiple fronts to counter these threats, while intensifying efforts to curb terrorist activities through regional cooperation in the political and diplomatic arenas. [2]
Counter Terrorism Department conducted a raid in Jamshoro District of Sindh capturing a militant. [18]
Two Frontier Corps soldiers were killed in a militant attack on security forces in Dir District across the border from Afghanistan. [19] Baloch Liberation Army claimed killing of a soldier in Zamuran tehsil. [18] Counter Terrorism Department also captured 22 militants during various raids throughout Punjab. [18]
Balochistan Liberation Army carried out an attack on a military base in Kalat allegedly claiming to have killed twelve soldiers, however official reports acknowledged the deaths of two Frontier Corps soldiers. Three militants were also killed in the attack. [18]
Military related handles on X released a footage of drone strike on Masjilis-e-Askari Karwan of terrorists belonging to Hafiz Gul Bahadur group of Tehreek Taliban Pakistan in the Darga Peerpal area of Bannu District. Reportedly, three terrorists were claimed to be neutralized. [20] [21] A policeman was wounded in an attack on a police post in Orakzai District. Two militants were killed and three were wounded in an operation in Sra Derga area of Bannu District. [18] Seven were injured when threw grenades on the security forces vehicles in North Waziristan. [18] Three civilians were wounded in a militant attack near a police patrol [18]. A girls school was torched in Mansehra District by militants. [18]
Pakistani authorities report the arrests of Commander Nasrullah and Commander Idress in Quetta, who were two key Pakistani Taliban commanders. [22] Moreover, six militants and two Pakistani soldiers were killed in Hassan Khel Tehsil, Peshawar District, during military raids on multiple hideouts. [23] A Counter Terrorism Department and a security forces personnel were killed in two separate attacks in Bannu. [18] A soldier was killed in a militant attack in Kech District. [18]
On 27 June, in Tank District, military raids on insurgent bases killed ten militants [23] and a military operation in Bagh, Khyber District resulted in the deaths of seven militants and five Pakistani soldiers. [23] The house of Aslam Khan a tribal leader in the Lakki Marwat District was attacked by militants but caused no casualties. [18] Moreover a Police Station in Peshawar was attacked by militant rockets causing no casualties. [18] Seven were injured on an attack on Frontier Corps vehicle in Quetta. [18]
Pakistani ambassador to the United States, requested military aid including modern weaponry to aid in Operation Azm-e-Istehkam as well as addressing the need for strengthening of military ties between the two countries for fighting terrorism diplomatic comeback in Kabul. [24] [25] [26] Rahat Khan, an influential person in Swabi was killed by unknown militants. [18] Thirteen labourers were abducted from Tank District by militants, nine were rescued by a police operation. [18]
A civilian was killed and his son wounded in a militant attack in Balochistan. [18] Three explosions and gunfire were reported in Kech District near a military base with Balochistan Liberation Front claiming that it was an attack carried out by them. [18]
On 30 June, the Government of Pakistan began the second phase of the deportation of Afghan refugees from Pakistan, this time with the target of expelling around 800,000 illegal migrants. [27] A snooker club was set on fire in Khyber District by militants. [18] A police special operative was killed in North Waziristan, Hafiz Gul Bahadur group claimed responsibility for his killing. [18] A senior doctor attacked previously by militants over twenty five times, was killed by militants in Bajaur District. [18] Militants also set up roadblocks in Dera Ismail Khan District and Bannu District for over an hour. [18] A gas pipeline was damaged in Bolan District suspected to be a militant attack. [18] The son of a local peace committee member was killed in Tank District. [18] Two soldiers were killed in a rocket and grenade attack in Takhta Baig area of Khyber District. [18] A logistical vehicle carrying food for soldiers was targeted by militants. [18]
Three people were killed in a roadside bombing in Turbat District, Balochistan. [28] Along with two members of security forces were killed in a rocket attack on their post in Jamrud, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. [28] Seven militants were killed in a military operation in Tirah including Pakistani Taliban commanders, Najeeb Abdul Ur Rehman and Ishfaq Muavia and two more militants were killed in a separate engagement in Lakki Marwat. [29] [30] A traffic Policeman was killed by militants in Peshawar. [31] A person allegedly a militant was captured during a raid in Awaran District. [31] Three civilians were killed and one injured in an attack in Turbat. [31]
The gas pipeline supplying natural gas to Quetta was blown up by an Improvised Explosive Device near Machh, Bolan District. [32] Moreover three civilians were killed and one wounded in a shootout and bomb blast in Turbat. [33] A soldier was killed and four wounded in an Improvised Explosive Device attack in Kalat District. [31] An officer of the Sui Southern Gas Company was killed in Quetta. [31]
Pakistan Army and United States Army troops started a two-week-long counterterrorism exercise in Pabbi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with the American troops being deployed at the National Counterterrorism Centre. [34] [35] Moreover, an IED bombing in Bajaur District killed senator Hidayat Ullah, who was campaigning in an election run-up, initial death toll was reported to be three [36] but later rose to five. [37] [38] Furthermore, two members of security forces were also wounded in terrorist attacks on Polio vaccination teams in Bajaur District. [39] Also, Pakistani security forces carried out an intelligence based operation in Bajaur District and Pakistani Taliban Commander Irfan Ullah after a firefight between security forces and militants. [40] [41] Also, a bomb attack and shootout in Kalat, Balochistan killed a Frontier Corps soldier along with a civilian working on the Sui gas field. [42] Islamabad police foiled a terror attack ahead of Muharram by capturing a large amount of weapons and explosives after a firefight with militants who managed to flee. [43] [44] Two Policemen were killed and two wounded in an attack on a police station in Kashmore District. [31] A soldier was killed in a militant attack in South Waziristan. [31] Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan announced the launch of a retaliatory Operation Azm-e-Shariat to counter Operation Azm-e-Istehkam. [31] Jamaat-ul-Ahrar announced the launch of their own Operation Al Ra’ad. [31]
In Khaplu, Gilgit Baltistan another Pakistani Taliban commander Shah Faisal who was responsible for multiple terrorist attacks in the region was killed in a military operation. [45] [46] Clashes were eventually extinguished after hours of fighting which left two civilians and four soldiers of Gilgit Baltistan Scouts wounded. [46]
A roadside bombing in Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa killed three people and wounded eight people, including two police officers. [47] [48] [49] Noor Rehman, the commander of Ghazi group of Pakistani Taliban was killed during an attempted cross border infiltration in North Waziristan. [31]
A bomb planted by militants was diffused in Bajaur District. [31] A policeman was killed by militants in Peshawar. [31] A soldier was killed and another wounded in a militant attack in Tank District. [31] Another soldier was killed and another wounded in Bolan District during an attack by Balochistan Liberation Army. [31] Four soldier was killed in Awaran District and another in Khuzdar District by Balochistan Liberation Front. [31] A police special operative was injured in an Improvised Explosive Device attack in Quetta. [31]
A bombing in Bolan, Balochistan carried out by the Balochistan Liberation Army wounded a soldier of the Frontier Corps. [50] A shooting in Karachi killed a senior Counter Terrorism Department official engaged against the Pakistani Taliban and Lashkar-e-Taiba, and a civilian passerby, [51] and a private security guard was wounded in the incident and later succumbed to his injuries. [52]
A police officer and his three nephews were killed in a shooting in Dera Ismail Khan. [53] In North Waziristan a military engagement between Pakistan Army and Pakistani Taliban led to the deaths of two militants and one army captain. [54] [55] Thirteen people were detained in Punjab during an operation conducted by the Punjab police against supposed militant activities before Ashura. [56] Three soldiers were killed and twelve wounded in a gun battle in South Waziristan, casualties of militants are unknown. [57] Three Frontier Corps soldiers were abducted in Tank District. [58]
An attack on Ashura observations was foiled when the Counter Terrorism Department arrested a key Pakistani Taliban militant Mohammad Shoaib in an operation in Karachi. [59] An engagement in Hassan Khel Tehsil of the Peshawar District led to the deaths of four security personnel and three militants including militant commander Abdul Raheem. [60] [61]
The bodies of two security personnel who had been missing since 11 July in Tank were discovered. [62] Two Pakistani Taliban militants, Abuzar and Yaqoob Masood, of the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group with alleged ties to the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan were arrested during a raid by the Counter Terrorism Department in Karachi. [63]
A driver of the Frontier Corps was killed in a roadside bombing near Quetta. [64] A Pakistani Taliban militant was arrested in Karachi during a raid by the Counter Terrorism Department. [65]
The Pakistani Taliban launched two coordinated attacks on the military cantonment in Bannu. [66] [67] [68] A militant attacked the base with a vehicle loaded with explosives while another exploded a suicide vest outside the perimeter of the base. Eight soldiers and ten militants were killed [69] and about 141 people including 7 civilians were wounded in the attacks. [70] At least eight civilians were amongst the injured. [71] Several houses and buildings were damaged. [67] The attack caused significant casualties but was unsuccessful in its main aim to penetrate and capture the garrison. [72] Jaish E Fursaan E Muhammadi, a faction within the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group of the Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility. [66] Military helicopters were dispatched to the region and ground troops were also deployed in the region. [71] A military operation is being conducted in the area by Pakistan Army. [67] The Special Service Group was also deployed in the area. [73]
Five civilians (two children and two female health operatives) were killed in a militant attack on a health facility in Dera Ismail Khan. The military then engaged the militants, killing three of them. Two soldiers died in the skirmishes. [74] [75]
A senior Al Qaeda leader Amin al-Haq who was a close associate of Osama bin Laden and was on the United Nations global list of wanted terrorists was arrested by the Counter Terrorism Department in a raid on his hideout in Sarai Alamgir, Punjab. [76] [77] Three people including a policeman were killed in an attack in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa meanwhile a Frontier Corps soldier was killed in Balochistan. [78] Two civilians were killed in a shootout during a peace rally, this attack is suspected to be a militant attack. [78]
Three militants tried to infiltrate into Pakistan from Afghanistan by crossing the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in Dir District but all three were killed in a subsequent clash with Pakistan Army. [79]
Militants destroyed a government run girls school in North Waziristan completely razing it's seven classrooms however,no casualties were reported. [80] Moreover, three Policemen were wounded in a bomb blast near their vehicle in Khyber District. [81]
A senior teacher was killed by Pakistani Taliban militants in Tirah as a part of Pakistani Taliban's campaign against female education. [82]
In Hoshab, Balochistan, Pakistan Army conducted an intelligence based operation killing one militant while wounding two others. Their weapons and ammunition were also confiscated and a further clearance operation was carried out. [83]
Seventeen surrendered Pakistani Taliban militants initially set free by the government in exchange for their surrender were rearrested in Bannu by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police as a part of a new campaign to spare no militants, their vehicles, weapons and ammunition were seized. [84]
A militant commander named Razaq, a close associate of Hafiz Gul Bahadur was killed by Pakistan Army in North Waziristan. [85]
Four militants were killed in a military operation in Tank District, their weapons and ammunition was confiscated. [85] A Frontier Constabulary personnel was killed and five wounded in a militant attack on a police station in Kurram District. [86]
Three militants and a policeman were killed in an intelligence based operation in Mohmand District while a wanted militant Satifullah was killed and three militants were wounded in an engagement in Dera Ismail Khan and a militant was killed in an engagement with security forces in North Waziristan. [87]
Two United Nations officials escaped unharmed when Pakistani Taliban attacked their vehicle in Tank District. [88]
An attack on a Balochistan Levies post in Milizai area of Pishin resulted in the deaths of two levies personnel. [89] Another attack on the same post just after eight hours wounded a policeman. [89] Moreover an attack on Charwazgai check post in Khyber District claimed the lives of two policemen as well as wounding another, a civilian security guard at a nearby gas station was also wounded. [89]
Two policemen were killed in a militant attack on their convoy in Tank District while escorting the vehicles of two judges. The judges however remained safe. [90]
It is widely believed that this anti-terrorist operation was carried out under pressure from China, [91] as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has been hit by terrorist attacks many times before. [92] Pakistan announced its new counterterrorism plan soon after Shehbaz Sharif returned from a five-day visit to China. [93]
Although Pakistan urges the US to provide modern small arms, [26] a spokesperson of the US State Department said "We support Pakistan's efforts to combat terrorism and ensure the safety and security of its citizens in a manner that promotes the rule of law and protection of human rights." [94] Starting from 3 July, the American and Pakistani troops started two-week-long counterterrorism exercises in Pabbi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. [34] [35]